ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pop — soda
  4. clip — to cut
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cue — a hint
  7. clip — a video
  8. pop — music
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pop — to visit
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. clip — for paper
  20. wake — a trail
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com